Welcome to another edition of the blog, where I do my best to present relevant science that supports the notion that there’s a lot we can do for ourselves, like meditation, energy medicine, and nutrition, to profoundly support our health and wholeness.
I recently attended a seminar entitled “Protecting the Aging Brain: Focus on Nutrition and Mind/Body Health”. The presenter was Gary W. Arendash, Ph.D. He’s a research professor at the University of South Florida, specializing in Alzheimer’s research. I’d like to share some of the clinical pearls gleaned from Dr. Arendash’s full-day presentation.
Drawing from his lecture, I’d like to share some of the research and steps you can take to optimize brain function as you age. One sobering piece of information that may motivate you to take some positive steps is that 2/3 of adults will eventually develop Alzheimer’s disease (that’s if they don’t do something proactive). The good news is that Dr. Arendash presents a variety of options for increasing your chances of being in the ‘other’ third. An encouraging note, I think, is that by the time you reach your mid-nineties the risk of developing Alzheimer’s declines.
To start, physical exercise, the equivalent of a brisk 45 minute walk three times weekly, improves cognitive function and maintains cerebral circulation in the elderly. The bottom line is that regular exercise decreases the risk of cognitive impairment during aging.
Exercise your brain intellectually. Staying engaged in activities that stimulate you intellectually, throughout your life, leads to optimum cognitive function later in life. This finding reinforces the ideas shared in my article on ‘Neuroplasticity’ that you can find on my website.
Your mother’s advice to ‘eat your vegetables’, supports the newest findings in nutritional research. What she might not have known was that vegetables are high in antioxidants. Antioxidants are the natural compounds that protect our cells from premature injury or death, and ultimately help us to preserve our health. In the case of Alzheimer’s, antioxidants serve as protection for the cells in your brain, the neurons. In my office I suggest that cooked vegetables account for seventy percent of your diet.
If your interest isn’t piqued by the thought of consuming more vegetables, how about alcohol and caffeine? A new study reveals that the moderate consumption of alcohol (1-2 drinks daily) decreases the risk of cognitive decline. An additional benefit of red wine is that in addition to its alcohol content it also contains antioxidants. Moderation is the key, and ‘no’, you can’t substitute red wine for a vegetable serving.
Research shows that caffeine has a protective benefit against the development of Alzheimer’s disease, by suppressing some of the harmful biochemistry that leads to the damage of neurons. Drinking 3-5 cups of coffee daily reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s by 65%. Studies revealed that aged mice with Alzheimer’s experienced the removal of abnormal protein deposits (normally associated with Alzheimer’s) in the brain and a reversal of their cognitive impairment, when given several months of caffeine treatment.
What about yoga and meditation? Yoga and meditation have been shown to improve cognitive function, increase blood flow to the brain, and reduce cortisol (a stress hormone) levels in normal adults. In aged, memory impaired adults, yoga and meditation can improve cognition and increase blood flow to the brain. Having shared this information, there’s no scientific evidence to date that the long-term practice of meditation and yoga can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Personally, rather than waiting for the validating research to emerge, I’d jump on the meditation bandwagon and start meditating yesterday. Every day in my office I see the benefits to mind, body, and spirit offered by a regular meditation practice. Even though the benefits of meditation related to preventing Alzheimer’s hasn’t been documented, there’s a growing body of research in neuroscience that’s extolling the benefits of meditation.
Dr. Templin offers online courses and consultations, and sees patients personally in his office in Lakeland, Florida. You can learn more about his course Bio-Energetic Focusing: A Revolutionary Medical Model for Self-Healing! here.
Steven Templin, D.O.M., Dipl. Ac., is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, specializing in MindBody Medicine. He is a certified META-Medicine Health Coach and nationally certified acupuncturist. He shares the underlying science and more importantly, the practical tools for resolving the unconscious energetic and emotional roots of illness. In his online course Bio-Energetic Focusing: A Revolutionary Medical Model for Self-Healing! he provides training in Self-Regulation skills, that include Bio-Energetic Focusing, HeartMath and Energy Psychology techniques, Energy Medicine modalities, and Gastrointestinal repair for enhanced immunity, mood, and mental clarity. Dr. Templin is in private practice in Lakeland, Florida, at the Natural Medicine Center of Lakeland.
